Developing Volunteer Policy
The mention of Policy can sometimes send people running in the opposite direction! You might think it’s something complicated for high up and doesn’t affect you, but that’s because it’s not clearly understood.
What is a Policy?
A policy is simply saying: this is the way we do things here. It doesn’t have to be complicated and wordy. It is a reference point for everything you do around volunteering. If anyone wants to know about how you do anything relating to volunteering and volunteers, it should be in your policy. There tend to be some common headings:
- Why we involve volunteers
- Volunteer recruitment and selection
- Volunteer induction and training
- Volunteer management
- Volunteer recognition
Don’t forget to include any policies specific to the roles and your organisation, e.g. a child protection policy or a policy on the volunteer-client relationship.
Steps involved in Developing a Volunteer Policy
Get buy in from the organisation; management and volunteers. Form a working group if possible so you’re not doing everything yourself.
- Agree a list of policy headings
- Prioritise according to the organisation need
- Prepare a draft and circulate to the relevant people
- Get feedback and approval
- Edit and write the final draft
- Adopt and implement: “From this date, this is what we follow…”
- Monitor and review on a regular basis
Your policy document reflects what you do, so it’s really just writing that down. Contact us for support in developing your Volunteer Policy, we’d be happy to review a draft.